About the Jello Mistress

VICTORIA BELANGER is a blogger and photographer who has become the voice of the Jell-O mold revolution. Her book Hello, Jell-O!: 50+ Inventive Recipes for Gelatin Treats and Jiggly Sweets (Ten Speed Press/Random House) is based on her blog The Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn.

For the blog, she creates craft jello molds in unexpected flavors and artistic presentations. The site has received press attention from The New York Times, Food & Wine magazine, The Splendid Table radio show, The Chew talk show, Oprah.com, and more.

Additionally, she has created recipes and written articles for the Cooking Channel, Food Network, and Apartment Therapy’s: The Kitchn as well as a how-to video spot for the Etsy Blog.

Victoria was born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia. After studying photography at Virginia Commonwealth University, she moved to New York City and began experimenting with creative Jell-O molding and photographing her colorful creations for her website, The Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn. In addition to Jell-O molding, she works as a photographer and enjoys exploring the five boroughs of New York City by bicycle.

96 Responses

  2. Amelia

    This is fascinating! Your photos of your beautiful (and tasty) creations are gorgeous! Who knew jello could be so diverse and gourmet?

  5. Louis Hinman

    Dear Jello Mold Mistress —

    I think your Stained Glass Jello is particularly beautiful. I would like to attempt it. Could you specify the proportions of sweetened condensed milk to Knox gelatin?

    If you have an actual recipe, I would love to see it — I didn’t find one on your blog.

    Best Regards,

    Louis

  6. Ernesto D.

    hello Victoria! Thank you for sharing these lovely creations. In Mexico my family makes lots of ‘gelatinas’ with fruit inside, and sweetened condensed milk in many colors. Keep up the good work!

    Cheers from the heart of Texas,
    Ernesto D.

  7. Karen

    I heard your on talk radio today and had to check out your blog. Your creations are amazing!! Hope there’s a book 🙂

  8. Erin

    Hey Victoria,
    I heard the interview on the Splendid Table yesterday and am amazed with what you are capable with a little gelatin. My all time favorite recipe is my grandmother’s Green Jello:

    2 packs of Lime Jello
    2 cups hot water mix and melt the geletin
    add the following in order
    3 table spoons of Mayo (mix well)
    1/3 cup of sweet condensed milk (stir until creamy)
    1 cup of small curd cottage cheese
    1 squeezed small can (no juice) of crushed pinapple
    2 stalks of finely chopped celery
    1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

    Of course, I will have to try some of your recipes as well now too!

    Erin

    2. Nantte

      Today for a party I made this almost same recipe! (Totally inspired by this jello website.)

      Only, mine had:

      1 cup chopped celery,
      1 cup pineapple
      1/2 cup chopped walnuts
      1/2 cup grated carrots
      1 small jar diced pimentos
      1 small package cream cheese.

      the original recipe had 1/4 cup mayonnaise, but we never use mayo due to a family egg allergy, so i just left it out. At the party, people were VERY sceptical – all kinds of jello slander — till they tried it. Then it was gone…..

      After I gave birth, (15 1/2 years ago….) I craved this jello salad for two weeks, and ate several batches, so it has fond memories for me.

      I also tried another recipe, in a jello mold with a raised rose design, which I filled with strawberry jello/sweetened condensed milk, and the a knox/pomegranate soda gelatin – which was pretty for about 30 seconds, since I hadn’t used enough knox. Sort of a rose slub….. But it got eaten anyway!

  9. jacqueline church

    eexcellent! Just heard you on Splendid Table. Wonder ifyou do savory jellos like aspic things? I think panna cotta is a jello-like dessert which can also be savory and I’ve been toying with them. That dark berry vodka one looks so gorgeous. I want to make it!

    Good luck with the book deal!

  11. Walter Dufresne

    Hi Victoria,

    Fabulous jello molds, and lots of fun to see. Can I get you to make two more molds just like them? And deliver them for consumption by community groups? Send one of them to Jimmy Pynn, the manager at Newtown Creek, and the other to Connie Fitzgerald, the marketing manager at NYC DEP. They’ll figure out the appropriate community groups.

    Best,
    Walter Dufresne
    Brooklyn, New York

  16. laura Sunderlin

    Well, this is a depressingly simple question, but : I have a few English jello molds but my first attempt was a disaster (alas). Is there anything different I should be doing with the recipe on the jello box? Maybe not adding the cold water?

    Your molds are fabulous by the way — just beautiful!!

    1. Victoria Belanger

      Yes, for molds you want to decrease the water by 25%. So when the box calls for 1 cup boiling water and 1 cup cold water, use only 3/4 cup cold water for a firmer mold.
      To unmold, dip the mold in warm water for 10 to 15 seconds and invert in a plate.

      Good luck and thanks for reading my blog!

    1. Victoria Belanger

      Thanks so much Liz! I am glad I could inspire you. I did get the book deal I mentioned in the interview. I will be out in Spring of 2012 with all my best recipes and tips.

      Thank you for being a fan!

  19. Joyce

    Just heard you interviewed on Splendid Table! You mentioned a Blog..too bad they didn’t have you announce how we could find you…but actually I didn’t have any trouble. I’ve always loved jellos, but usually eating someone else’s work. Women of my mothers era loved making jello salads. I think it has been almost a lost art. I believe that you’ve taken the craft to new Heights!! I will spend lots of time looking through this. One thing I will be looking for is how do you take to “pitch-in”, “carry-in,” etc without it thawing. Glad to find you!!

  20. lisa

    Victoria,
    Have you been to the Jell-o Museum? My husband and I stumbled upon it on a trip a couple of years ago and I think you need to make a pilgrimage! It’s in Leroy, New York, a darling little town in upstate. It’s totally self-supporting – doesn’t get a penny from Kraft! But if you’re into Jell-o it’s a little slice of fun Americana and I bet they’d enjoy knowing about you as well. A little envious that you’re having so much fun and success with something so off-beat, but more power to you! Good luck.

    1. Victoria Belanger

      How exciting! I had no idea there was such a museum upstate from me. I will have to try to make the journey one day.
      Thanks for the tip and for being a fan of the blog!

    1. Victoria Belanger

      To serve jello it depends on the mold… but a pie server will cut it into nice slices and slide the jello slice onto a plate without getting too mangled. Baring that, a big spoon or spatula.

      1. CFK

        Thank you! I made the peaches & cream for a party tonight. It looks beautiful! Can’t wait to try it!

  22. Belle

    I’m so happy to discover your website. Can u tell me where to get those jello molds you have or are there any alternatives that I could use if I don’t have any molds.please and thank you.

    1. Victoria Belanger

      Most all of my molds were given to me by friends and family who found them in thrift stores and their grandmother’s basement. The internet, particularly Ebay and Etsy are excellent sources for molds as well. Baring that, you can use baking pans for cakes, muffins, bunts, loafs, etc. Ice cub treys, mixing blows, or Tupperware containers will also work. Any metal or plastic container will do. You can use glass as well but it can be a little bit harder to unmold the jello from a glass container. Good luck and thanks for visiting my blog!

  23. Heather Decker

    I’m wondering if you know a good place to sell jello molds? i have recently come into quite a few of these vintage molds and I just don’t have the storage for them. I’d love to find someone who’s really into the items to buy and use them since they are so great. If you know any place or anyone I’d really appreciate it.

    Wilton Egg Pan- $5
    1. Victoria Belanger

      Those are some great molds (unfortunately I have most of those already)! I would try Ebay or possibly Etsy. That is where I go and where I direct my readers to go when shopping for new molds. You can sell them as a lot if you don’t care to go to the trouble of selling them individually. Once my book comes out next month there may be a tiny up-tick in the jello mold market. 🙂

      Thanks and good luck!

  25. Jen Zody

    New follower/fan of your blog since I saw your jello molds on The Chew last week. The pics are gorgeous! I made the Strawberries and Champagne Jello a few days ago. YUM! Grown-up way to enjoy a childhood treat. Next may be the peaches and cream. 🙂 Can’t wait for your new book to arrive at my door on release day. Keep up the great work!

  26. Alex

    I just bought your book and found your recipies very creative AND yummy!! The raspberry cosmo looks delicious, to bad I’m not 21.☻By the way, what’s the name of the jello in the picture?

  27. jentu96

    Hello, Victoria!
    My first attempt at trying one of your recipes (strawberries & champagne jello) a couple of weeks ago was very successful! The next one I’m excited to try will be Peaches & Cream. The boozy version, of course. 🙂

    Quick question. Have you experimented with sugar-free jello? Or swapping out regular sugar for Splenda or another substitute? If so, did you learn any tips/tricks you could share? Or point me to a post you’ve written before on the topic, if I missed it.

    I have diabetics in my family. To me sugar free flavored jello tastes like the regular jello. So I thought about experimenting in the future with sugar free jello and the non-alcoholic version of one of your recipes. If it’s a success, it might make an appearance at a family gathering someday! 🙂

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Victoria Belanger

      You can use the boxed sugar free jello the same way you’d use regular jello and follow the recipe as written. Also Splenda makes a granulated product meant for cooking. Its puffier than regular Splenda so it measures the same as sugar. http://www.splenda.com/products/granulated You can swap it out for sugar in any recipe. I have not used it in jello so I can not vouch for the taste (although I do use it in my tea and I think its fine).

      Thanks and good luck!

      1. jentu96

        Thanks for the advice and the quick response. I will let you know how the sugar-free experiment works out. Probably will be at least a week or more before I have a chance to try it.

  28. AmandaJo

    I have been searching your site for a thanksgiving cornucopia mold you posted a while ago but can’t find it. HELP! Where is it? Thanks!

  29. Emilia Rosa Kette

    I have a few copper-looking molds–as far as I can remember, real copper tarnishes with time and especially handling, and needs constant cleaning. They’re from Wear Ever. I want to bake a cake in one that looks like a shell (Wear-Ever # 2980), and called WearEver just to confirm. Surprisingly they said, no! Yet, I already baked cakes in another WearEver pan (a 5-cup tallish lil’ thing, that looks like a miniature of the Victorian trifle molds) and nobody got sick. Any idea why they said I shouldn’t bake in this mold? I would be very thankful if you could send me any info. (OK, I noticed Americans have a tendendy of over-reacting on matters of food and health…)

    1. Victoria Belanger

      Hi Emilia. Honestly I’m not really sure. I have not had any experience with baking in jello molds. I looked around online and there is some concern about copper seeping into the food but there are opposing opinions as to the validity of that. I suppose the company is concerned about the mold melting in the heat of the oven or the cake not cooking through evenly because the mold is so thin (or getting sued because they said you could use the mold for something other than its intended purpose) … But if you’ve already baked a cake in one of these molds with out any problems, then I say go for it. Good luck and thanks!

  30. Emilia Rosa Kette

    Thank you so much for your answer! I do not believe those molds have copper. I remember copper pans “darkening” just from being handled. These keep their beautifull–yet dull–tone no matter how much handling they get. I’m baking the cake right now in the one I already used, since it will be shared; next time I’ll bake in the one I’ve never used–hopefully, I’ll survive! 😉 (It is a pity this country has turned into a “law-suit” heaven!) Much luck with your beautiful book!

  31. Denise

    Hi Jello Mold Mistress
    I was inspired by all of your jello molds -they are truly works of art. I just bought your book on Amazon, several molds, several cans of sweetened condensed milk, a large box of gelatin, and many boxes or flavored jello. I am swtiching from baking to making jello this summer. It is a little intimidating, but I am glad I found a tasty dessert that does not have many calories (I am pre-diabetic). I hope I can eventually make a Pisco Sour mold for my Peruvian mother!!

    1. Victoria Belanger

      Hi Denise!
      So glad you are excited to try some jello recipes for the summer. Don’t be intimidated, if you can bake then jello will be a breeze. And its perfect for summer because you don’t have to slave over a hot oven!

      Good luck, enjoy, and thank you!
      Victoria

  32. Lisette

    Hi Jello Mold Mistress,

    Love your blog! You mention that you ordered a baker’s dozen of individual molds for the Mudslide that’s featured on your website. I’m having a hard time finding these molds online. Could you possibly divulge from where you ordered them?

    Thank you,
    Lisette

  33. Ann McDonald

    Hi, Victoria!
    I have your book and I LOVE it…..In the book there is a recipe for what appears to be “candy mints” (made from Jello, of course). You mentioned that the mold pictured with the recipe was given to you as a gift. Would you be so kind as to tell me where I can find that mold?

    Thanks!
    Ann

      1. Ann McDonald

        Yes, It was the Gum Drops, sorry! I will check online, now for the mold. Thanks so much for your reply!

  35. Scott

    Hey – i was wondering if you had ever tried floating a dollop of whipped cream within a jello mold? instead of making whipped cream to put on top later on, i was hoping to just integrate a little scoop within cubes of jello i’m preparing. i was wondering if it would hold up, or perhaps you’d have to enrich it somehow (e.g., cornstarch, powdered sugar)? btw – your site’s been an excellent resource!
    thanks, scott

    1. Victoria Belanger

      Hi Scott. You could try freezing little balls of whipped cream first but I’m not sure how well that would work. Even if your jello is thickened to the consistency of a gel before you try to float the whipped cream in the jello it may run and leave streaks of whipped cream inside the gelatin. You could also try gelatinizing the whipped cream first and preparing the recipe “Stained Glass” style like this: https://jellomoldmistress.com/2009/08/31/stained-glass-jello/ I have a similar recipe to this in my book where I suspend gelatinized cubes of ice cream in gelatinized root beet, making a root beer float!

      Thanks and Good luck!

  37. Bob

    Victoria, I’m trying to make the Strawberry Cheesecake mold. The top jello/strawberry layer doesn’t call for cold water after dissolving the jello. Is that correct?

  38. Joey

    Hello Mz Jello,
    Went through my cookbooks last night and found a copy of “Knox On-Camera Recipes” and thought of you. Do you have this? It is from 1963 and has some interesting recipes. I am a fan of you and jel-cookery.

    Aspice Forever, Joey

    1. Victoria Belanger

      I don’t have that book, although I have a another Knox brand cookbook full of gelled gems. I googled the cover of that book. I had no idea Knox got so much TV time in the 60’s. How glamorous!

      Viva la jello!

  39. sheila fish

    I am unsecessfully trying to find the recipe for the lovely apricot jello pictured – I googled apricot, cream cheese and your picturee mold turned up, but I would like the recipe. Is it available? Sheila

  40. Michelle Teresa Lopez

    I love your book, Hello Jello! I live in Mexico and have a business making gelatin desserts for parties. Your book gave me some neat new ideas to expand my offerings. I love your blog as well, thanks so much for sharing all your beat recipes and tips!

    1. Victoria Belanger

      As long as your liquid measurements come out to the same quantities, you can substitute whatever you like. I suggest an additional 1 cup of lemonade instead of vodka and 2 cups of ginger ale instead of champagne. Goof luck and thanks!

  42. Simon

    Hello Victoria Belanger. Was wondering if you know of in NYC where they have classes or if you give classes on the Jello with flower inside?

  43. Christopher Scott

    Hi Victoria,hope this finds you doing well.I was hoping you might help me with a question I have.I wanted to make the petite watermelon/lime rinds and am confused alittle on the directions in the book.When I first prepare it,…Should it go into the fridge for an hour and a half/dense pudding….then remove and stir….then it gets put into the lime rinds,then fridge to firm?….or is it pour contents into lime rinds right from blender and refridgerate?….thank you so much,Chris

    1. Victoria Belanger

      Hi Chris,

      Yes, you want to refrigerate the strawberry mixture to thicken and then stir it to evenly distribute the strawberry puree before you spoon the mixture into the lime rind halves. If you don’t, as the gelatin sets it will separate and the pureed strawberry will sink to the bottom and the water will rise to the top. You will not have a consistent texture and it may not gel evenly. You can refrigerate the mixture in the blender jar or transfer it to a bowl. Which ever is easier for you.

      Thanks and good luck!

      V

    1. Victoria Belanger

      You can us a large copper mold to make any of my recipes. Measure the volume of the mold by filling it with water and measuring cup by cup. Adjust the recipe to match the volume of your mold by adding the volumes of the ingredients in the recipe and divide or multiply the quantities proportionality to match the volume of the mold. Then follow the directions for the recipe.

      Good Luck!

  46. Wendy Sue Weldon

    I have stupidly put my jello molds in the dishwasher to clean them. I used the light/china rinse cycle, but they have dulled. How can I restore the shine?? or Can I ?? Oh please say I can!!!!! I’m sad 😦

  49. Conny

    Hi, I have a Jello recipe booklet printed in 1930 in LeRoy, NY. Can you give me any information about this item or were I could find the someone who would know.

  50. Lisa

    Hi Victoria – I have a recipe that will use about 10 cups of liquid and I tested it with water and made sure that my molds each hold 5 cups exactly. Will the gelatin make the liquid expand beyond the 5 cup capacity? Thanks so much – Lisa in Georgia

    1. Victoria Belanger

      Hi Lisa,

      Hi Lisa,
      No, the gelatin will not create any additional volume when dissolved in liquids. I typically measure out how much volume to need to create for a recipe and then use one envelope of Knox unflavored gelatin for every 1 cup or 1.5 cups of liquid. The package suggest 1 envelope per every 2 cups of liquid, but for molds I like to make my gelatin a little firmer so it holds its shape better.

      Good luck and thanks!
      Victoria

  51. Angie

    I know with the holidays you probably cannot reply but I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
    I need to know how much sugar if any I can safely put into the mix. I’m putting thawed strawberries into knox gelatin and adding Tequila Rose Liquor.
    I tested it using a large box of strawberry jello and it turned out well. But, this one is going to use Knox instead. How much sugar would be safe…1tsp per package of gelatin?

    1. Victoria Belanger

      The easy answer is: as much as your want as long as you’re dissolving the sugar in boiling water/liquid. (Each of one the boxes of pre-flavored jello is actually mostly sugar, about 1 tablespoon of gelatin, for a 3oz box, and the rest sugar.)

      General rule-of-thumb is to use 1 envelope of knox per every 1.5 to 2 cups of liquid/volume for your recipe. (The less liquid you use the stiffer the gelatin will be and the better it will hold its shape if you are making a jello mold, keeping in mind that if you use too little water, the resulting jello mold will be rubbery). And when you dissolve sugar in boiling water, it actually does not increase the volume by very much. If you dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 1 cup of boiling water, you’ll have a little over a cup of liquid.

      Also, for every envelope of Knox your use your want to first sprinkle it over 1/4 cup of cold water to “bloom” (let the gelatin absorb the water before adding boiling water- if your don’t the gelatin will not dissolve properly and instead form little goopy balls).

      So, let’s say you want to 3.5 to 4 cups of jello (I assume you are going to puree the strawberries and not leave them whole?). Bloom 2 envelopes of knox over 1/2 cup of cold water. Whisk in 1 cup of boiling water until the gelatin has dissolved. Then whisk 1 or 1.25 cups of sugar until dissolved. Allow to cool and stir in the 1 cup of tequila (if you boil booze all the alcohol will evaporate). Throw this mixture in the blender with about 1.5 cups of strawberries (when pureed this will be about 1 cup) and mix!

      Pour into a mold or serving cups and refrigerate until firm.

      Good luck and happy Thanksgiving!

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